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SPICED MUSHROOM MOUSSAKA WITH HALOUMI BÉCHAMEL
SERVES 8
10g dried mushrooms
⅔ cup (100g) plain flour
2 medium (about 800g) eggplants, cut into 8mm-thick slices
⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to shallow-fry
1 each onion, carrot and celery stalk, finely chopped
140g tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
400g Swiss brown mushrooms
1 bunch oregano
800g canned whole tomatoes
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
1½ tsp each allspice and dried chilli flakes
2 tsp each ground coriander and smoked paprika
50g unsalted butter, chopped
HALOUMI & OREGANO BÉCHAMEL
60g unsalted butter
60g plain flour
800ml milk
Pinch ground nutmeg
250g haloumi, coarsely grated
1 tbs dried oregano
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, cover with ½ cup (125ml) boiling water and set aside.
Place flour on a plate and season. Dust eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1cm oil in a large frypan over medium heat. In batches, fry eggplant, turning once, for 3-4 minutes or until golden.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a second frypan and add onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until softened and light golden. Add tomato paste, garlic, fresh mushrooms and half the oregano, and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until dark golden. Add tomatoes, stock and spices, return soaked mushroom and soaking liquid to the pan and cook for 25 minutes or until thick and reduced. Stir through butter and season.
For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes to cook out flour. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until very smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the nutmeg, haloumi and oregano. Season. Arrange eggplant in a 2.5L baking dish and pour over the mushroom
